1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door module mounted in a vehicle and, in particular, to a door module previously mounted in a door panel. In the door module of the present invention, a wire harness is positioned in the panel and fixed thereto without using a clip.
2. Description of Background Information
FIGS. 1A and 1B show a door harness of a vehicle and electrical equipment connected thereto according to the prior art. In this structure, a band clip 4 having a hook-type fastener 4a is attached to the wire harness W. The fastener 4a is then inserted into a clip-fastening hole 2 formed in the door panel 1, whereby the position of the wire harness W is fixed relative to the door panel 1. Also, an L-shaped configuring clip 3 which is integral to the door panel 1 is provided to hold the wire harness W. In this manner, the wire harness is wired along a predetermined path so as to form a door module.
However, the above door module requires specifically prepared band clips 4 for positioning and fixing the wire harness, and thus increases the number of component parts, material costs and assembly steps.
To counter these problems, the present inventors proposed in Japanese Application No. 2002-280126 a door module 6 requiring no special clips (see FIGS. 2A and 2B). In this structure, a door panel 5 includes an integrally-formed harness-holding portion 6. This portion includes projections 6a, 6b and 6c that are placed in triangular arrays on the door panel 5. At least one of the projections, e.g., 6a, is made substantially L-shaped, whereas the other projections, i.e., 6b and 6c are made in round column shapes. As shown in FIG. 2B, when the wire harness W is branched, projection 6a holds at the point of bifurcation, and the projections 6b and 6c flank and adjust the branching point.
However, since the projections 6b and 6c in the door module 6 have a round column shape, they can determine the branching position, but not the branching direction. Further, because at least one projection, e.g., 6a has to have an L-shape, dies for forming the door panel 5 have to be configured in a complex form and require a greater number of molding steps. Moreover, when the above structure is to be applied to a wire harness dividing into three branches or more, the harness-holding portion 6 has to have a much more complicated configuration.